THE BOG BABIES

About the Book

            Throughout history many people have believed in diverse supernatural or demonic spiritual entities.  From Tengu of Japan, the T’ien-kou of China and the Lares or Penates of ancient Rome to the Goblins of France that rapidly spread across Europe, the Hobgoblins and Trolls of the Druids in England, The ‘Little People’ or Leprechauns of Ireland, the mysterious Vampires  and the Werewolves of Germany, Serbia and Bulgaria, etc. To some, these were harmless, mischievous manifestations.  To others, these entities  represented a horrifying threat. 

The intrinsic fear that prevailed, by whatever name, was that these entities or disembodied spirits could steal one’s soul. Worse, that once bitten by one of them, a person became one of them.  The Black Plague of the 1300’s, for example, was frequently blamed on vampires and the like, the belief being fostered by the early Church using this fear to control or cajole an uneducated and superstitious populace.

The early emigrants brought with them their own names and descriptions, their own fears, of such beings.  From the Pilgrims who saw a Witch or Devil’s Disciple behind nearly every tree to the French Voyagers, who feared the Lé Rou (werewolf). Little did they know that the indigenous people also had similar beliefs.  This did not change with the spread of emigrants into the western plains. To the Cheyenne and other plains tribes, the frightening existence of  multiple Séoto, spooks, goblins or disembodied spirits of dead was commonly believed. 

In modern times such superstitions and myths have fallen beside the road of antiquity.  That applies, of course, to only  those who have not yet encountered the least known of such spiritual entities, the Cheyenne’s Mâhpeva mé’hkôheo’o’ .........  the Bog Babies.

About the Author

H. William Berger has been a prolific but relatively undiscovered artist in oil paintings and a creative author of poetry, songs and prose (both novels and juvenile fiction) for many years.  Only recently have several of his works gone public to be shared by all. 

A world traveler, he has led an extraordinary, adventuresome life which often colors his writing with exciting twists and turns that come from the author’s having “been there and done that” in some way, shape or form.  A licensed commercial, instrument, multi-engine pilot, he owned and operated a trucking company in Illinois and drove semi-tractor trailers and large motor coaches throughout our country and Canada for many years. He has been in every state in our nation and traveled extensively within numerous foreign countries as well.

Mr. Berger, recently retired from public service and commercial transportation, now resides happily with his wife and family in mid Kansas.  He would quickly admit to the truth in a quote from the movie, ‘Wizard Of Oz’ ...... “There is no place like home.”  

Author of  the novel, Fan the Flame,  along with several delightful youth fiction books, Mr. Berger presents you with The Bog Babies for your enjoyment and perhaps a chill or two.  He is presently working on additional novels, Suffer the Saints and the Children  and one yet unnamed, among other endeavors.  These two works, like his previous two, promise to be as exciting as they are diverse.

In the mean time, as Berger would say to all his readers: “Live long, trust in your God, be happy with yourself and prosper.”